Excelsior
by SHSAlumni
Summary: Lex was a ladies man before he was out of high school...
1. Seating

Fifteen year-old Lacey Lonsen was tired. She was not used to being up this early in the morning, and she was going to have to walk to the other side of the Excelsior Prep campus to get from her dorm room to her first class. It was the first day after summer break, and she was not looking forward to resuming school.

This year she was going to take Mythology first period. It was said that Professor Froughtenham, who taught the classes, was one of the best teachers at Excelsior. That was saying something, as Excelsior was one of the best schools in the country.

She reached the red brick building with time to spare. So she sat down and pulled out the book that she was currently reading—Romeo and Juliet.

Lacey was so lost in the mishaps of the star-crossed lovers that she did not hear the bell ring. She did not hear the students file into the classroom, and she did not hear the door slam as Professor Froughtenham entered.

Her trance was finally broken when she felt a finger tap her shoulder, and a voice whisper that she might ought to put the book away. When she turned around to see the face of the person who had snapped her back to reality, she was surprised to see that it was Lex Luthor.

She'd never spoken to the boy, never had any classes with him, but she knew him well. Everyone knew him well.

Lacey whispered a gentle thanks, smiled, and turned back around. Professor Froughtenham instructed his pupils to gather their belongings because he was going to assign seats.

As the teens with last names at the beginning of the alphabet began filling up the first row, Lacey thought through the surnames in the class to figure out the pupil by whom she would be sitting. Lex would be to her left, she realized, and she was surprised to discover that she was quite happy about that.

Her name was called, and she took her seat in the third row. Lex followed suit, and she smiled inwardly. Then she quickly reprimanded herself. She couldn't…she couldn't be liking him. No, no, she just thought he was a nice guy. She was happy that she was sitting beside him because he was a nice guy.

Professor Froughtenham handed out the classroom rules sheet, which Lacey snapped into her binder, and he started the beginning of the course spiel.

"Good morning. This is Mythology and I am Professor Froughtenham. I'm not going to go over the sheet in front of you because I assume that you can all read. In this class, we're just going to scratch the surface of mythology. I'd like to teach you more, but we only have a semester. That's why I'm going to jump right in, and tell you the story of Chaos…"

Lacey fell into a state of half-consciousness as Prof. Froughtenham droned on. Oh to be asleep and still in bed, it would be the greatest treasure in the world. She looked around the room. Three kids were nearly asleep, and two were full-on out of it. Lex, however, was listening intently as the Professor told them how Cronus ate his children.

It was a very morbid story.

The class eventually ended, and Lacey headed out the door. Three more classes dragged by, and it was time for lunch. She filled her tray and looked for a table. Three friends were sitting to her right. She began walking towards them, but as her eyes traveled around the room, she noticed that Lex was sitting all alone.

She thought about sitting with him until one of her friends waved to her, and she was obligated to join that table. As her friends chattered about classes and homework, Lacey kept glancing over at Lex sitting all alone and decided that it was one of the saddest things she had ever seen.

Lex attended one more of Lacey's classes that day, Ancient History taught by Prof. Carmore. Again they were seated in alphabetical order. Prof. Carmore passed out two pages of rules and procedures, and explained every single detail. The bell rung while she was talking to them about the importance of neat assignments.

They were dismissed and, as it was her last class, Lacey headed back to her dorm. She realized that she had forgotten a notebook, so she turned around ran into Lex, literally.

"Oh sorry", he smiled apologetically.

"No, no", Lacey shook her head, "It was my fault." There was a pause. "I'm Lacey, by the way, Lacey Lonsen."

"Lex", the corners of his mouth went up, "Lex Luthor."

"Well, its nice meeting you, Lex", she grinned, "But I, um, left a notebook in class, and I've got to go get it."

"Well I won't keep you."


	2. Project

And Lacey excused herself.

One week later, Professor Carmore handed out a group assignment. Lacey and her roommate, Abbey, quickly caught each other's eyes, but they needed one more person to join the group. After a quick glance around the room, Lacey realized that Lex was flying solo. He leaned over and asked to join them. Lacey nodded yes and did an inward victory dance before yelling at herself quite briskly.

Lex was a nice guy…and that was all.

Abbey, Lacey, and Lex decided to meet that afternoon in the library to discuss the assignment. Abbey and Lacey arrived together and waited about three minutes before Lex appeared.

The bald boy sat down in an armchair opposite from them. He pulled out a notebook and a pencil case.

"Which one of these rulers looks most interesting to you guys? I'm okay with everyone but Hannibal", Abbey started chittering, "Who wants to hear about some guy with elephants?"

"Do you realize that his journey with elephants was one of the greatest tactical schemes any war has ever known? I mean, the legacy he left…", Lex trailed off as he noticed Abbey that was staring at him as though he were from outer space.

They sat in silence reviewing the list of possible subjects until Lacey suggested Alexander the Great.

Abbey spoke a non-committal "'Kay", and Lex nodded.

"Why don't we all just, um, like, research on our own, write down any significant points, then share them with each other and start writing? Lex, you focus on his childhood. Abbey, you focus on his battles. I'll focus on his death and the effect it had on the world", Lacey was accustomed to taking charge of a project.

They split to search and Lacey headed for the reference section. She spent a few seconds deciding whether she should look for a book on Alexander or check the Encyclopedia Britannica first. She picked the encyclopedia, and her hand landed on A Capella-Bulwark.

Another hand touched the book at precisely the same moment, and a shiver went up Lacey's spine as she realized that the hand belonged to Lex Luthor. Lex quickly withdrew his hand and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry", their eyes met, "You can have it."

"Thanks", their eyes remained locked…


	3. Denial

"So", Abbey smirked, "You've got the hots for Luthor?"

It was a question and a statement at the same time. Lacey was caught off guard and faltered before replying, "What are you crazy?"

"Oh, come on", the blonde girl rolled her eyes, "I totally saw the look between you guys. Plus, he was completely checking you out."

"Lex Luthor is a player", Lacey combated, "He has a different girl every week. Do you really think I'm dreaming of being added to his hall of bimbos? Besides, isn't his dad in, like, the mafia?"

"If you don't want to be his next bimbo, why were you flirting with him?"

"I wasn't. I know you like to create drama, but please don't bring me into it."

"You brought yourself into it, Mrs. Luthor."

"Oh gosh, Abbey, you're even more deluded that I thought you were."

"Whatever…but you know I read an article that said he likes brunettes."

"So?"

"So, you're a brunette."

"You have issues."

"I'm not the one denying my true feelings."

Lacey rolled her eyes and there was silence for a few minutes as the two returned to studying. Then Abbey spoke again.

"You want me to ask him out for you?"

Lacey's book slammed onto her desk, "What is this, the fourth grade? I'm trying to study, so can we have some quiet?"

"Sure, but just so you know, he likes you too."

Lacey's cheeks burned as she contemplated that statement, but she reminded herself that it didn't matter. She didn't like him as anything more than a friend.

At lunch the next day, Lacey found Lex sitting at her lunch table.

"Hey", she smiled, furrowing her eyebrows slightly.

"Hi", Lex returned the grin, "Abbey said we should discuss the project."

Lacey nodded and sat down, giving her friend a hard kick in the shin. Abbey winced and glared back. Lacey raised her eyebrows. Abbey smiled. Lex was amused by the silent conversation until he realized that he was pleased with it. His eyes widened and he suddenly became very interested in his mashed potatoes.

Abbey noticed Lex's cheeks and smiled inwardly. It was then that her plan began to develop.


	4. The Plan

The three met in the library again afterschool. They worked separately for ten minutes and then Abbey suggested that they go to the student archive section where the librarians had saved any essay or report by students at Excelsior which struck them as well-written or informative.

It was a small dusty room in the back of the library. After a period of five minutes, Abbey announced that she was going to visit the Ladies room and exited the student archive section of the library, closing the door behind her.

Lacey, suddenly self-conscious after realizing that her friend had left her alone with Lex Luthor, rolled her eyes and decided that she needed to visit the restroom as well. She stood, walked to the door, and tried to turn the knob. It was then that she groaned.

Lex looked up with a questioning expression.

Lacey groaned once more, "Try turning the knob…"

Lex narrowed his eyes and complied. Then he let out a third groan, "We're locked in? Crud."

"Dang it, Abbey", Lacey said through gritted teeth.

"You think she did this?"

"Oh believe me, Lex", she let out a grim chuckle, "I know she did this. She has this crazy idea that you and I are…infatuated with each other."

"Ah…" Lex nodded, "Crazy…"

He sighed and plopped down. Lacey followed suit.

"I'm sure there must be someway we can pry the door open…"

"Yes, there's got to be something sharp…" Their eyes met.

"I don't suppose she can keep us here forever…" The distance between their heads grew smaller.

"Surely they'll notice we're missing…" A hair fell into Lacey's face and Lex reached up to brush it back.

"How long do you think it will…" Lacey was cut off, and silence filled the archive room as its inhabitant's lips met.

An hour later the door swung open and Abbey smiled as she saw Lex and Lacey in a lip lock.

"Did you want some privacy?" She asked, "Because I can leave…"

They broke away and scowled at the matchmaker. Lex stood up and Lacey did the same. Abbey whimpered slightly and exited the library at the look of anger on Lex's face. Then Lacey and Lex strolled out, holding hands, to seek their revenge.


End file.
